The Portland daily press., 1887-08-30
WAYS OF THE ShAD.
A Nova Scotia Scientists State.
ments Concerning the hab-
Its of the Fish.

DR.. Henry Y. Hind has written to the
Windsor Tribune very interesting letter
on the subject of the Shad Fisheries. He
says that it is mistake to suppose that the
shad are migratory and come each year from
distant southern winter quarters, such as
the Gulf of Mexico. 1t is true that the shad
makes its appearance in the rivers flowing
into the Atlantic from Florida, U. S., to the
Memramcook and Miramichi in tolerably
regular weekly succession, being later and
later with the decrease in latitude But this
apparent northern movement of the schools
does not imply coastal migration. 1t is only
spring migration from winter homes in ad-
.sris .. ss2 r 81 u6 lie
determined by temperature That there is
no great coastal spring migration northeast
wards is shown by the fact that the South
ern shad which enter the rivers from Florida
to Delaware have their tails and back fins
tipped with black, which markings are not
nearly so visible on the more northern shad,
Then we have the Gulf of st. Lawrence shad.
which formerly were fonnd in large numbers
in the Miramichi at the end of May, and di-
minished schools still spawn in Gulf rivers
A summer costal migration In North Allan
tic waters doubtless takes place to a limited
extent but this is confined to those schools
which having spawned, follow the cold sea
water against the current northeasterly.
mus the schools which spawn North of Cape
Goa IN May and June when they leave the
rivers gradually swim norrheasterly against
the current towards and in thee Bay of Fun
1y, ana are taken in coast and estuary weirs
and by seins in Minas Basin and elsewhere.
as flsh In prime condition without spawn IN
tn tne latter part OF June and July; These diff
ier from the local schools which spawn in
Mlnas Basin rivers near the end of Nav or
early in June. These local schools probably
come from their winter homes in the Bay Of
Maine. u
The shad until recently, has rarely hean
found on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia.
during the past five years it has been taken
in Yarmouth, Guysborough and Cape Breton
Counties. 1t is also appearing in the rivers
81 el Prince Edward Island. 1t may be that
pagation OF the shad in the United States. is
developing more and unexpected feature in
the distribution Of this and kindred andro-
madons hshes. The shad has long been
known on the southern shore of the Gulf.
anu some S oi iis spawning grounds were some
the rivers which empty into the Gulf waters
are supplied by migratory schools coming
from the far south, why not have the more
southern Atlantic rivers Of Nova Scotia also
lpphhg phgg. since been zee entered by, these fish?
iney nave the salmon, an andromadeus spe
cles, then why not the shad? The Gulf shad
is doubtless local fish, having its winter
home in the Cuffs deeps. The period of
spawning in different rivers depends upon
u one temperature OF the water, and varies
each year by several days, sometimes even
weeks. As general rule it may be stated
that the movement Of the shoal into the
rivers takes place as soon -as the TEMPER
ature OF the river water becomes higher
v taah an tnat OF the neighborlng sea. The eggs
% degrees to hatch. Once in fresh water
shad are said not to take food in the sea
they iced open-mOuthed against the current |
)r TIDE, their food consisting chiefly of mi
mute cruStaceans and worms. The young |
FEy H @ naIcn IN ABOUT seven days, the time being
nortened with increase of temperature. |
The male shad is less than the female and in |
many rivers the first run consists exclusively
II males. They shed spawn generally on |
andy flats. A full grown female will Weld |
IN n an average 25,0O0 eggs. The young fry |
eed In the deeper waters of the rivers on |
minute larv@, fresh water crustaceatns and |
IN fish fry. They are about two or three
nches long when they seek the sea, and thew |
eturn only as mature fish. 1t is a mistake |
% suppose that the shad will spawn in salt |
water, No successful attempt has vet been
made to hatch shad eggs in sea water or even
n brackish water. They require fresh wa
er for their development. The MOTOR mr.
Ion OF the Bay of Fundy shad caught in Ju-
on the Nova Scotia shores are migrants |
rom New England or New Brunswick riv-
rs, after having shed their spawn there. A |
ew weeks in the sea swimming against the /
lde with open mouth in search of food sniff
es to restore the racers" to the comparati-
ely prime condition in which they are found
bout the middle of July in Minas Basin.
heir winter quarters are probably in the
eeps below the 100 fathOm line in the Gulf
( Maine.
The local schools spawning in Nav In our
vers, have their winter homes not remote
'om our coasts. These local schools are
ow unimportant when compared with the
INNER migrants taken on the coast and in
ne estuaries.
The shad of each large river, like the Sus-
uehanna, the Connecticut, the st. John, are
asily distinguished by an expert through
lelr form and markings. The differences
re not generally recognized by an inexper-
3@nceu @ eye unless pointed out. The breeding
oason oas' oI the shad lasts from April until the
arly part Of August.
peIoIe alluding to the causes which have
~, ~ W tHe recent alleged decrease in the local
az pIte ~ Tue snad fisheries, we must notice
oa sts ,ao of Ela1i luiliyeIsai complaint, from the
'nnday that nua Az, 70 the shores of the Bay of
alleu all the Atlantic coast line In s,pn Pro
llnB Iarther into the matter we e. an. |
lIouenOut thls wide stretch of coastal oraa
se spawning grounds of the shad lii-a tLosl,
Ihe salmon, have been very greatly 'nUSo cur
illed py lmpassable mill-dams. The frnitad
tates nSh commission estimate the breedinS |
lese artificial distractions, from onalbo1f W
ne-fourth. This fact alone sufiees to oc W
punt for considerable diminuation ~ IL |